The present invention relates generally to mounting systems for attaching a forklift to the rear of a vehicle and, more specifically, to a mounting system for a beverage hauling truck.
Forklifts of various kinds are well known in the art. Typically, forklifts include a maneuverable vehicle portion with a pair of fork tines mounted to a mast mechanism on the vehicle portion. The vehicle portion and the tines cooperate to pick up, maneuver, and set down loads. Traditional forklifts are rather large and heavy vehicles that are designed to be used in one area, such as a warehouse, and not to be transported from site to site. More recently, more maneuverable three wheel forklifts have been developed that are designed to be mounted and transported on a truck have been developed. Examples of such forklifts are shown in UK Patent Application GB 2,259,292A and U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,075 to Schumacher et al. This type of forklift has a pair of front wheels or tires and a single rear steering wheel. The forklift mechanism is positioned generally between the front wheels or tires. These types of forklifts are also typically shorter, front to back, than traditional forklifts and their use of a single rear steering wheel makes them highly maneuverable. Also, they are designed to mount on the rear of a truck for transport with the truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,604 to Dubosh et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,695 to Moffett et al. both show mounting systems for the newer type of three wheel forklift. In each case, a pair of fork tine receiving slots is provided in the rear of a trailer and interconnects with the truck""s frame. To mount the forklift to the rear of the frame, the forklift driver approaches the truck with the tines aligned with the receiving slots. The slots are a distance above the ground or surface on which the forklift and the truck are supported. The forklift operator inserts the tines into the slots until the body of the forklift is close to the back of the truck. At this point, the tines are inserted a significant distance into the slots. The operator then lowers the forklift tines with respect to the body of the forklift. Because the tines are inserted in the slots, this action lifts the body of the forklift off the ground such that the forklift is supported by its tines in the slots. In this way, the forklift is xe2x80x9cpiggybackedxe2x80x9d on the rear end of the trailer with the mounting system. Preferably, the mounting system also includes additional support for the forklift so that the entire force of supporting the forklift is not passed through the tines. For example, in the Moffett et al. patent, a pair of wheel rests is provided aligned with the front wheels on the forklift. After lifting the forklift off the ground by its tines, the operator hydraulically retracts the tines towards the forklift, thereby pulling the body of the forklift towards the rear of the trailer. In this way, the user positions the front wheels on top of the wheel rests and then lowers the forklift body until the wheel rests are taking a significant portion of the load of the forklift. As shown in the Moffett et al. patent, the wheel rests are actually recessed below the underside of the rear of the truck trailer, requiring the trailer to have a significant overhang behind its rear wheels. Chains or other supports may also be provided for interconnecting the body of the forklift with the trailer. In the Dubosh et al. patent, a pair of lock supports are provided on the rear of the trailer for interconnecting the frame of the forklift with the frame of the trailer when the forklift is in the transport position. In this way, the lock and support structure takes the load of the forklift.
The mounting systems thus far described are typically provided on heavy duty flatbed trucks or trailers designed to transport heavy items such as construction materials. These trucks or trailers typically include a backbone frame that runs the entire length of the trailer and extends completely to the rear end of the trailer. The mounting system is welded or otherwise interconnected with the rear ends of the backbone frame of these trailers allowing the backbone frame structure to take the load of the mounting system and its associated forklift. The weight of the forklift is often insignificant in comparison with the heavy loads the trailer is designed to accommodate. Therefore, the mounting system does not produce structural challenges or require extensive modification to the rear of the trailer.
Forklift type material handling devices are also useful in applications other than the transportation of very heavy objects. For example, material handling devices are very helpful in the field of beverage delivery. Soft drink and beer delivery trucks deliver soft drinks and beer to retail outlets, often in large quantities. Typically, the beverages are stacked on pallets or crates in large stacks and are then placed in beverage delivery trucks. These trucks have multiple compartments arranged along the sides with each compartment designed to hold a stack of pallets or cartons of beverage. Traditionally, beverage hauling trucks haul a large stack of individual cases or cartons of beverage in each compartment. When a delivery driver arrives at a retail location, he or she unloads individual cases and cartons from the various compartments onto a handcart. The handcart, with its load, is then rolled into the retail location for delivery of the beverages. Obviously, handling large numbers of heavy cases and cartons of beverages in this manner is tiring and time consuming. Small versions of the type of forklift previously described can be very useful in this type of application. The forklift is capable of lifting a large stack of beverages out of a compartment in the beverage truck without requiring the operator to individually handle the cases or cartons of beverage. Preferably, the assorted orders for each retail location are sorted and palletized prior to loading into the beverage truck. Then, it is only necessary for the operator to deliver a presorted pallet to each retail location, thereby significantly reducing the amount of time and effort required. However, these pre-palletized loads require the use of a forklift type device to lift as a single unit. Forklifts for this application are often referred to as beverage handlers.
In light of the above, there is a need to transport material handling devices, such as forklifts, along with a beverage truck to ease the delivery of heavy palletized loads of beverages. Unfortunately, beverage trucks are not typically constructed in the same manner as trucks that normally transport a forklift. Beverage trucks or trailers typically include a central backbone frame, which may consist of a pair of opposed C-shaped channels. A central wall extends, front to rear, down the entire length of the trailer and may be positioned between the backbone frame members. Cargo boxes are arranged down the sides and/or across the back of the trailer and interconnected with the frame and/or central wall. The cargo boxes are interconnected and form the outer shape of the trailer. Each of these container boxes is designed to hold stacks of beverages. In order to maximize the amount of beverages that the trailer can transport, container boxes are often provided behind the rear axle as well. However, the central backbone or frame of the truck terminates at the rear wheels. Therefore, the container boxes positioned behind the rear axle have very little structure, as compared with heavy duty flatbed trucks and trailers wherein the frame extends entirely to the rear of the trailer. Therefore, traditional approaches to mounting three wheel forklifts to the back of heavy duty trucks and trailers do not work with typical beverage hauling trucks and trailers because of the lack of structure at the rearmost end of the trailer.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem of providing a mounting system on the rear of a beverage truck for transporting a forklift. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mounting system is for a truck-mounted beverage hauler of the type having a body and a pair of fork tines that are movable with respect to the body and mounted generally to the front of the body. The beverage handler also has a pair of front wheels supported on the front of the body. The mounting system is designed for mounting the beverage handler to a trailer of the type having a frame extending forwardly from the rear wheels and a storage compartment disposed rearwardly of the rear wheels and the rearmost end of the frame. The system includes a support frame designed to attach to the rearmost end of the trailer and a pair of fork tine receiving tubes. The tubes are interconnected with the support frame and extend from the frame such that when the frame is mounted against the rear face of the trailer, the tubes extend into the trailer. A support rod has a first end interconnected with the support frame and a second end configured for interconnection with the rearmost end of the truck frame.
Another embodiment of the present invention is designed for trailers not having a compartment behind the rear end of the frame. In this embodiment, a pair of frame assembly connection members are provided that are designed to interconnect with the frame assembly of the truck for supporting the support frame. Wheel pockets are provided on the rearward side of the support frame to receive the front wheels of the fork lift.